Cornerstone
by On The Surface
Summary: Slight AU, Byron-centric, drabble. ‘Because you’re not stronger, and I don’t fear you like you fear me. So watch, little fighter, as the ballad unfolds.’


Cornerstone

**Cornerstone**

_[Slight AU, Byron-centric, drabble.] 'Because you're not stronger, and I don't fear you like you fear me. So watch, little fighter, as the ballad unfolds.'_

Don't own it, if you must inquire. I've never actually watched the TV show version of the Sinnoh Pokemon, so this is going off of pure experience from the game. Sorry is Dawn seems off, as I'm writing her off of her character from the D/P games.

Dawn stepped forward, eyes scanning the floor, almost fully downcast. Byron watched her from his elevated platform. She seemed to have more trouble with an inferiority complex and the elevation platforms than she did with his Gym Trainers, which was indeed quite worrying. He could never really tell what Pokemon she would send in to dispatch the other, but he could feel the power radiate from her team, despite her apparent shyness.

She arrived at his platform no more than ten minutes after first entering the building. She smiled weakly at him, almost scared. "Hello," she said. Strangely, Byron was touched instantly by her pure heart. Her voice rang melodically through him, as soft as silk, yet piercing, as if she was finding everything he had ever done wrong in his life and exploiting those feelings to him, mentally. "My name is Dawn, I take it you're Byron? If so, I would like to battle you, sir. For the Mine Badge."

"Indeed, I am Byron," the man bellowed, feeling a quiet need to re-authorize himself after his feelings had washed over him. "I am the sixth Gym Leader of Sinnoh, and yes, a fight for the Mine Badge is what you will get," he had committed the monotonic speech all Gym Leaders were made to say to memory, yet he could not help adding something before beginning the battle.

"I must say, I feel as if I am in a run for my money, right here and now. I know you are indeed strong. But I am not scared. Because you're not _stronger_, and I don't fear you like you fear me. So watch, little fighter, as the ballad unfolds!"

-.-.-.-.-

The three-on-three battle had taken a foreboding road for Byron, as Dawn's Luxray decimated his Bronzor with a savagery he did not think any Pokemon surrounded by a girl such as Dawn could muster. His Steelix, gargantuan as it was, fell pray to smart TM usage on Dawn's part and a brave Flamethrower from her deep-thinking Croagunk.

Despite its fire move and the fact that said Pokemon had gained enough power to evolve into a Toxicroak did not mean that Byron was done.

His Bastiodon had, thankfully, made quick work of the newly evolved Pokemon. Dawn's third Pokemon was a twist to Byron, a Drapion, no doubt evolved from a Skorupi that she captured in the Great Marsh, just as she would have captured her Croagunk. The quiet girl had some strange tastes for Pokemon, especially large and poisonous ones.

The Drapion also knew Flamethrower, and it crossed Byron's mind to wonder how much time she must have spent on the slots in Veilstone to have gotten hold of two of the expensive TMs. Despite the super-effective attack, Byron prided himself in knowing that his Bastiodon was certainly burly enough to take the hit.

Which was why, when the ancient, colossal Pokemon collapsed after only one shot, that Byron became dumbstruck. He wordlessly recalled the unconscious Pokemon, numbly gave Dawn her badge and TM through her bouts of profuse apologies, and walked out of the Gym.

It was not until a few hours later that anyway learned that Byron had taken his private yacht and sailed to Iron Island, determined to burn a new fire in his spirit, even if it meant breaking every bone in his body.

-.-.-.-.-

Many people worried when Byron did not return to Canalave within three days, but instead was living off bare shrubbery and the nuts of the island. An attempt to bring him back occurred, but he could not be consoled to leave his personal training ground.

The returning party reported, with much sadness, that already Byron had given himself a black eye and his left arm was hanging limp by his side, already broken. The scars he had received on previous visits were bigger now, and a few freely broke and bled, but he did not care.

For although on the outside his body was beaten, inside he was thriving.

-.-.-.-.-

Deep inside the cavernous mazes of Iron Island, Byron had run across his long-ago friend, Riley. The blue-clothed man was here, breeding and training Lucarios and Riolus. "Let me fight one," Byron commanded.

And although Riley knew no good could come from a Pokemon with such sheer power matching wits and power against a man, he relented.

And so, arm met arm and fist met fist and knee met knee as Byron broke himself on Riley's Pokemon, feeding his nessecity to be strong.

"I will work harder. Because you're not stronger, and I don't fear you like you fear me!" he commanded his aching body to continue sparring with Riley's potent Lucario, despite the other man's urges. Both man and Pokemon would not let their urge to fight lessen first.

-.-.-.-.-

From a great distance away, Cyrus watched the man, now panting and dripping sweat, as he trained on Iron Island. Saturn watched from his right, smug.

"Well then, he is worn and his heart is failing?" the blue-haired commander inquired.

"No, not quite," Cyrus answered, eyes dead-set on watching the man train, "Soon enough, his will to be stronger will dwindle, but his passion for battling will reignite. But his heart will be heavy, indeed, with the pressure of losing more Gym Battles to unworthy Trainers. And that is when we will make our move on the Trio of the Lakes."

When Saturn walked off, Cyrus grinned and whispered to himself. "So watch, little fighter, as the ballad unfolds…"

-.-.-.-.-

It came to be that Byron stayed on the island for three more days, until, weary and exhausted, a helicopter, ordered by his son, Roark, brought the wasting warrior home to Canalave to rest.

Another five days later, Lucas walked into the Gym, determined to win as he had heard Dawn had done.

The battle was only a minor difficulty, as Byron had worked himself too far, pushing his limits past their bounds. Byron closed his eyes as he handed Lucas, begrudgingly, a Mine Badge.

Somewhere in the distance, a Galactic Bomb was set off.

_End._

Perhaps a second part? What do you say?


End file.
